Toner Removal Patents (Class 399/99)
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Publication number: 20140126927Abstract: A developer contains a toner having an external additive deposited thereon. The developer is used with an image-forming apparatus including an image carrier including a surface layer in which fluoropolymer resin particles are dispersed and a cleaning member disposed in contact with an outer surface of the image carrier. The external additive is a nonspherical external additive whose volume average particle size is smaller than the average particle size of exposed portions of the fluoropolymer resin particles in the surface layer of the image carrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2013Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Shinichi KAWAMATA, Kunihiko SATO, Sakon TAKAHASHI, Nobumasa FURUYA, Kazuhiko ARAI, Masaaki TAKAHASHI, Koji NISHIMURA, Daisuke HARUYAMA
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Publication number: 20140112681Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section that forms an image with toner, a housing that houses the image forming section, and a toner collection mechanism. The toner collection mechanism includes a suction unit that sucks the toner, which leaves the image forming section and is flying, and air, and a separation unit separating the toner from air. The separation unit includes a separator that collects the toner and allows air to pass therethrough, a casing that houses the separator that has an opening, through which the toner and air flow, and a joining unit that is disposed along an edge of the opening and joins the casing and the housing to each other. The joining unit projects upward beyond the edge of the opening at least in the lower portion of the opening, thereby forming a space that allows the toner to be trapped.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2013Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: FUJI XEROX Co., Ltd.Inventor: Shinji KAWASHIMA
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Patent number: 8699909Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image carrier that carries a toner image; an opposed member that is provided so as to be opposed to the image carrier; an application device that applies a bias to the opposed member; and a control device that controls the application device to apply a first bias and thereafter a second bias to the opposed member so as to remove toner from the opposed member. The first bias has an absolute value that is large enough to cause discharge from the opposed member into air. The second bias has an absolute value that is too small to cause discharge from the opposed member into the air, and has a reverse polarity to the first bias.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2011Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Satoru Shibuya, Hidetoshi Noguchi, Kazuyoshi Hara
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Patent number: 8676083Abstract: An upper conveyance guide is provided at an apparatus main body. A guide surface of a lower conveyance guide is provided facing a guide surface of the upper conveyance guide, and can be drawn out in the direction intersecting the sheet conveyance direction with respect to the apparatus main body. A cleaning unit is provided on the back side in the drawing-out direction of the lower conveyance guide, moves together with the lower conveyance guide when the lower conveyance guide is drawn out from the apparatus main body, and cleans the guide surface of the upper conveyance guide.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2011Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroyuki Takahashi
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Patent number: 8660458Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first air flow duct for guiding air including flying toner particles created in the image forming apparatus, a second air flow duct having a fan for exhausting cleaned air to an exterior of the image forming apparatus, and a toner particle collecting unit arranged between the first air flow duct and the second air flow duct. The toner particle collecting unit includes a cyclone separator including a cyclone main body, an air flow inlet, and an outlet tube. The cyclone separator centrifuges the toner particles from the air including toner particles and exhausts the cleaned air through the outlet tube. The apparatus further includes a toner particle collection box, mounted under the cyclone separator, and an air channel section for guiding the cleaned air from the outlet tube to the second air flow duct. The toner particle collecting unit is detachable.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2010Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Osamu Akiyama
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Patent number: 8649702Abstract: An electrostatic charger device according to this invention includes a cleaner member, an operating rod, a guide portion, and a bending member. The cleaner member is configured to clean an electrode housed in a housing by pressing against the electrode. The operating rod has one end in a longitudinal direction to which the cleaner member is fixed. The guide portion is disposed at one end of the housing in a primary scanning direction and has a through-hole through which the operating rod extends in the longitudinal direction, the guide portion supporting the operating rod to enable the cleaner member to reciprocate between a first position and a second position. The bending member is configured to bend the operating rod in such a manner that an intermediate portion of the operating rod projects away from an image bearing member when the cleaner member is in the first position.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2011Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Ginga Nakamura
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Patent number: 8639152Abstract: A cleaning member 100 is constituted, for example, by a roll-shaped member having a shaft 100A and an elastic layer 100B. The elastic layer 100B is spirally disposed on the surface of the shaft 100A. A space 100C enclosed by the spirally disposed elastic layer 100B (side surface thereof) and the shaft 100A (outer circumferential surface thereof) is provided and a filling member 100D for filling the space 100C is disposed in a portion of the space 100C.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2010Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masaaki Yamaura
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Patent number: 8626020Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cleaning member for cleaning a grid electrode of a corona charger and includes a sheet-like member for opening and closing an opening of the corona charger. The cleaning member is located above the sheet-like member with respect to a direction of gravitation, and wherein the sheet-like member is present right below the cleaning member when the cleaning member is present in an image formation range with respect to a longitudinal direction of the grid electrode.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2011Date of Patent: January 7, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yuichi Ikeda
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Patent number: 8615183Abstract: A cleaning brush is not made slidably contact suctioning endless belts which pass inlets, and the cleaning brush is made slidably contact non-suctioning endless belts which do not pass the inlets. Consequently, it is possible to bring out paper dust and transfer remaining toner which adhere to the suctioning endless belts in attracting areas in which the inlet holes are formed, to the exterior of the apparatus by means of sheets to be conveyed. By contrast with this, from non-suctioning endless belts, the cleaning brush can clean and remove paper dust and transfer remaining toner which adhere to the non-suctioning endless belts.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2011Date of Patent: December 24, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tsuyoshi Nagasaki
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Publication number: 20130322895Abstract: A fixation unit includes a fixation member and a housing containing therein the fixation member. The fixation member is configured to thermally fix a developer image onto a medium being conveyed from an image formation unit to the fixation unit along a medium conveyance path, wherein the developer image is formed at the image formation unit and transferred onto the medium by the image formation unit. The developer attachment member is replaceably provided to the fixation unit and configured to attach thereto a part of the developer that is scattered in the neighborhood of the conveyance path.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: Oki Data CorporationInventor: Kazuoki Katayama
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Patent number: 8526843Abstract: A cleaning element for an image-forming apparatus, includes: a shaft; a strip-shaped sheet which is disposed helically on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft; and an adhesive layer which is disposed between the shaft and the strip-shaped sheet and binds the shaft and the strip-shaped sheet, the strip-shaped sheet having, on a surface thereof facing the shaft, an unbound region in which the adhesive layer is absent, at an end in a width direction of the strip-shaped sheet which faces a downstream side in a rotation direction of the shaft.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2010Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Terai, Makoto Nishimura
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Publication number: 20130216255Abstract: The present application discloses an image forming apparatus for forming an image by means of toner. The image forming apparatus includes an image carrier including an image carrying surface to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device which supplies the toner to the image carrying surface to form a toner image; and a suction device configured to create airflow for suctioning the toner scattered from the developing device. The developing device includes a duct configured to guide the airflow to the suction device. The duct includes a connection surface, to which the suction device is connected, and a suction surface provided with suction ports into which the toner flows. The suction ports aligned in a direction apart from the connection surface include different suction ports in ventilation area.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2013Publication date: August 22, 2013Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventor: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
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Patent number: 8503901Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a latent image forming device; a developing device; an electrode which faces to the image carrier; an electric power source, a toner contamination detecting device for detecting toner contamination onto the electrode; an electrode cleaning device for cleaning the electrode; and a controlling section. The control section controls the electric power source to apply at least an alternating current voltage to the electrode so that toner image is rearranged by reciprocally moving toner of the toner image between the image carrier and the electrode control section and allows the electrode cleaning device to clean the electrode when the toner contamination detecting device detects toner contamination on the electrode, and performs the toner rearrangement by the electrode from which the toner contamination is removed.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2010Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hiroshi Akita, Seiko Itagaki, Natsuko Minegishi, Hiroyuki Saito
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Patent number: 8494403Abstract: A developing device includes an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing member facing the image carrier to supply a developing agent to the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier, a rotary member facing the outer circumference of the image carrier in a non-contact state to collect toner scattered from the developing member, and a gear train to drive the rotary member. An effect that the developing member is subjected to by the driving of the rotary member is minimized, thereby preventing deterioration of image quality. Also, the scattering of the developing agent is effectively prevented by adjusting the drive rotational velocity of the rotary member.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2010Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: SAMSUNG Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jong Hyun Park
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Patent number: 8483590Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided an apparatus and method to maintain a clean and effective external heat roll surface in a printing system. The disclosed embodiment's uses a cleaning roller in contact with the external heat rollers designed to dislodge and displace contamination products that would otherwise accumulate on and in the external heat roller rough surface. The cleaning roller rotates concurrently with the heating roller so that the cleaning media cleans the roller from a picking action as opposed to a wiping motion. This provides maximum cleaning action with the undesirable wear and tear of the bristles that would occur with the conventional method of a wiping motion.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2010Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Brian John McNamee, John M. Derimiggio
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Patent number: 8463154Abstract: The image forming apparatus is capable of collecting discharged toner satisfactorily even when a power source for discharging toner from a voltage application member to a moving member and a power source for collecting the discharged toner from the moving member onto an image bearing member are provided in common.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2011Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoo Akizuki, Keisuke Ishizumi, Seiji Saito
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Patent number: 8452204Abstract: A dry electrophotographic printer is operated to remove toner from a longitudinal member. A process-control time interval, and a cleaning time interval that is a positive multiple thereof, are selected. Prints are produced until the process-control time interval elapses, as measured by a timing device. A process-control patch is produced in a process-control frame. This is repeated until the cleaning interval has elapsed. In the process-control frame, after the cleaning interval elapses, the photoreceptor and development member are spaced apart, then, after a selected time delay, brought into operational relationship, so that a stop at one end of the photoreceptor contacts an end block at one end of the development member, and toner is removed from the longitudinal member, which is connected to the end block.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2010Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Edward M. Eck, Alfred J. Gonnella, Anne F. Lairmore
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Patent number: 8427518Abstract: An image forming device includes a first device body, a second device body attached to the first device body, a photoconductive body provided in the first device body, an exposure unit provided to the second device body, the exposure unit having an exposure surface that exposes the photoconductive body and forms a latent image on the photoconductive body, the exposure unit being movable between an exposure position and an evacuation position, and a cleaning unit cleaning the exposure surface of the exposure unit. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning member cleaning the exposure surface, a supporting member supporting the cleaning member, and a guide member movably guiding the supporting member. The exposure unit is disposed such that the exposure surface is cleaned by the cleaning unit when the exposure unit is moved to the evacuation position.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2008Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akira Terao, Yasunori Akatsuka
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Patent number: 8417175Abstract: A toner image formed on an image bearing member is transferred onto a recording material so as to overflow from an edge portion of the recording material, thereby enabling the toner image to be formed so as to extend to the edge portion of the recording material. To suppress the deposition of the toner in the edge portion of the recording material, a cleaning member for cleaning the edge portion of the recording material obtained after the fixing is provided. In order to make a trailing edge of the recording material come into contact with the cleaning member, the recording material which has passed through a fixing apparatus is temporarily switched back, thereby allowing the trailing edge portion of the recording material to collide with the cleaning member.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2008Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hidetoshi Yamashita, Hisayuki Tomura, Kiyoharu Yoshioka, Michio Uchida, Tomonori Shida, Keisuke Mitsuhashi, Takuma Abe, Takao Nada
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Patent number: 8406642Abstract: Apparatus for removing toner after a selected time interval from a longitudinal member in a dry electrophotographic printer for printing a visible image on a receiver. An end block is disposed at one end of a rotatable development member, and a longitudinal member is disposed adjacent to the development member or photoreceptor and is connected to the end block. A backup bar is disposed adjacent to the photoreceptor and can selectively make physical contact with at least one point on the end block. When a measured time interval of printer operation reaches the selected time interval, a controller causes the backup bar to apply a selected force to the end block to cause toner on the longitudinal member to be removed from the member.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2010Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Edward M. Eck, Alfred J. Gonnella, Anne F. Lairmore
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Patent number: 8406651Abstract: In a method to remove toner deposits on a surface of a cleaning element, electrically charged toner particles are transferred from a transfer element surface to a photoconductor. On the cleaning element, untransferred, electrically charged toner particles as residual toner from the transfer element surface are received. Electrically charged toner particles on the cleaning element are directed past an electrode arrangement arranged at a distance from the surface of the cleaning element. An alternating electrical field is generated which acts on the toner particles to loosen them. The toner particles remaining on the surface of the cleaning element are brought into contact with a mixture of carrier particles and toner particles during further transport along a transport direction of the cleaning element.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2008Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbHInventors: Ralf Selinger, Robert Link, Admir Lela
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Patent number: 8401419Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which a toner collection section is disposed in an air pathway between a ventilation duct and suction blower, and the toner collection section and a recovery container are connected via an opening and closing device, has a control device to control the opening and closing device to close the opening and closing device when the suction blower is suctioning air and to open the opening and closing device so that the recovery container recovers the toner collected by the toner collection section after the suction blower is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2010Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yasushi Koshimura, Daiki Yamanaka
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Publication number: 20130058678Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with an image bearing unit, an intermediate transfer unit, a primary transfer unit, a pre-transfer charger, and a control portion. The pre-transfer charger is located downstream of the primary transfer unit and upstream of the secondary transfer unit in a revolving direction, faces the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer unit along a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the revolving direction, and charges the intermediate transfer unit when voltage is applied. The control portion, at time when determination is made as to the necessity of cleaning the pre-transfer charger, secondarily transfers a cleaning assessment toner image by switching between a state in which the voltage is applied to the pre-transfer charger and a state in which the voltage is not applied to the pre-transfer charger, the cleaning assessment toner image being in a uniform density.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2012Publication date: March 7, 2013Inventor: Toshiki TAKIGUCHI
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Patent number: 8391743Abstract: A fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet of recording media, the fixing device includes a fixing rotary member to heat the toner image on the sheet of the recording media, a pressure rotary member pressed against the fixing rotary member, a conveyance guide member arranged to a fixing nip at the upstream side of a conveyance direction of the sheet to support the sheet going to the fixing nip, a scraper arranged to the conveyance guide member at the opposite side on the basis of the conveyance direction. The end of the conveyance guide member contacts with the scraper, when the conveyance guide member turns on a rotary axis of the guide member.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Masanao Ehara, Naoki Iwaya, Yutaka Ikebuchi
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Patent number: 8351092Abstract: Provided are bristle brush rollers having bristles implanted on their surfaces. A gap exists between the bristle brush rollers and reading surfaces of scanners for allowing a medium to pass through. When transfer rollers transfer the medium in the medium transfer direction, the bristle brush rollers regulate a surface opposite to a to-be-read surface of the medium in order to guide the medium.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2008Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Nidec Sankyo CorporationInventor: Naohito Nakayama
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Patent number: 8346113Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: a rotatable image carrier operable to carry a toner image on a surface thereof; a transfer part operable to electrostatically transfer the toner image carried on the surface of the image carrier, onto a transfer material; a cleaning member that is in contact with the surface of the image carrier and that is operable to clean toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after transfer by the transfer part; and a voltage supplier operable to apply, to the cleaning member, a bias voltage that is for cleaning the surface of the image carrier and that has a polarity opposite to a normal charging polarity of the toner.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Satoru Shibuya, Hidetoshi Noguchi, Kazuyoshi Hara
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Patent number: 8340546Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a charging device and a photoreceptor adjacent the charging device. The charging device transfers a charge to the photoreceptor. Also, a charge patterning device is adjacent the photoreceptor. The patterning device patterns the charge on the photoreceptor to form a latent image charge. Additionally, an automated cleaning device is adjacent the charging device. The charge patterning device periodically moves by the charging device and the charge patterning device to simultaneously clean the charging device and the charge patterning device.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2010Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: John Roy Washington
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Patent number: 8326174Abstract: A cleaning unit that can remove particles of residual toner remaining on an image carrier after transfer and be incorporated in a process cartridge removably installable to an image forming apparatus, includes a brush roller disposed in contact with the image carrier to remove the residual toner remaining on the image carrier from the image carrier, and a polarity control member disposed in contact with the image carrier to control charge polarities of the residual toner remaining on the image carrier before the residual toner is removed by the brush roller. The polarity control member includes a first surface where the polarity control member contacts the image carrier, a second surface where the polarity control member does not contact the image carrier, and a conductive filler that is not exposed on the first surface that contacts the image carrier.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2010Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited.Inventors: Osamu Naruse, Hidetoshi Yano, Kenji Sugiura, Naomi Sugimoto, Hiroki Nakamatsu
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Patent number: 8320790Abstract: The cleaning member of the present invention includes a rotatably supported core; and a foam body that is disposed in a spiral shape on the core, and has at least one edge in a cross-section orthogonal to the length direction of the foam body that projects out further in the core radial direction than a central portion of the foam body.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2010Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventor: Mikio Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 8311434Abstract: Toner is removed, after a selected time interval, from a skive mount in a dry electrophotographic printer. An end block is disposed at one end of the rotatable development member, and a skive mount disposed adjacent to the development member connects a skive to the end block. A timing device measures a time interval of printer operation. At the selected time interval, a controller causes a backup bar to lift away from the photoreceptor, then, after a selected time delay, causes the backup bar to make physical contact with at least one point on the end block, so that the backup bar applies a selected force to the end block to cause toner on the skive mount to be removed.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2010Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Edward M. Eck, Alfred J. Gonnella
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Patent number: 8311461Abstract: An image forming apparatus, a developing device and a developer cartridge are disclosed. The developer cartridge includes a cartridge housing and a developer delivery unit to deliver a developer received in the cartridge housing. The developer delivery unit includes a delivery member and a contact portion to come into contact with the delivery member. The contact between the contact portion and the delivery member form a length longer than a straight line connecting one end of the contact portion to the other end.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2009Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: In Cheol Jeon, Jong In Kim, Sung Gi Kim
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Patent number: 8311440Abstract: A cleaning pad that is part of a printer developer customer replaceable unit cleans a laser aperture each time the customer replacement unit is removed and/or replaced. The pad is located on an inboard end of the customer replaceable unit such that when inserted into the printer it wipes any accumulated toner from the surface of the laser aperture. Also, in developer units that include a light proof cover that retracts at the time of insertion, the wiper is situated so that it cleans the aperture in the process of retracting.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2010Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Robert C Tidrick
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Patent number: 8305419Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier; an exposure section, having a light emitting surface which is positioned above the image carrier, to focus the light rays on the surface of the image carrier; a cleaning section, having a cleaning member, to make the cleaning member to come into contact with the light emitting surface and to move the cleaning member on the light emitting surface, so that the cleaning member removes dust particles accumulated on the light emitting surface, wherein the cleaning section makes the cleaning member to move to an outside of an end portion of the light emitting surface; and a dust receiving section, mounted under the outside of the end portion of the light emitting surface, to receive the dust particles removed from the light emitting surface by the cleaning section.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2009Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Shinji Morita
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Publication number: 20120251159Abstract: In a developing device, a rotation shaft is provided with a developer feeding member, a cleaning member, and a receiving portion. The receiving portion is provided downstream of the developer feeding member and upstream of a light transmitting member, provided to a wall surface of a developer accommodating chamber of the developing device, with respect to a rotational direction of the rotation shaft when the cleaning member has passed through the light transmitting member.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hideki Kakuta, Tetsuo Furukawa
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Patent number: 8270892Abstract: When a toner image larger than a recording material is formed on an image bearing member, and the toner image is transferred onto the recording material as widely as possible to form an image without margins, a toner in a vicinity of an end portion of the recording material adheres to the recording material while remaining unfixed. In order to suppress the adhesion of the toner to the end portion of the recording material, the recording material is passed through a cleaning unit for the end portion of the recording material after fixation. In the cleaning unit, the recording material is sent askew. By being conveyed while an edge of the end portion of the recording material is rubbed against a cleaning member, the recording material becomes less subject to the adhesion of the toner at the end portion thereof.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2008Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Toshiharu Kawai
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Patent number: 8270868Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for cleaning including, scraping off, agitating, or capturing, in non-contact with a belt surface, a visualizing material present on the belt surface and fiber or powder different from the visualizing material, coming into contact with the belt surface and scraping off, agitating, or capturing the visualizing material present on the belt surface and the fiber or the powder different from the visualizing material, and being located in contact with the belt surface at predetermined pressure and scraping off the visualizing material present on the belt surface and the fiber or powder different from the visualizing material.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2010Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshihiko Sugiyama
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Patent number: 8265514Abstract: Toner is removed from a skive mount in a dry electrophotographic printer. An end block is disposed at one end of the rotatable development member, and a skive mount disposed adjacent to the development member connects a skive to the end block. A timing device measures time intervals of printer operation. A process-control time interval and a cleaning time interval that is a non-negative multiple of the process-control time interval are selected. Prints are made until the process-control time interval elapses. A process-control patch is produced in a process-control frame. Once the cleaning interval has elapsed, in the process-control frame, a backup bar is lifted lift away from the photoreceptor, then, after a selected time delay, brought into physical contact with at least one point on the end block, so that toner is removed from the skive mount.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2010Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Edward M. Eck, Alfred J. Gonnella
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Patent number: 8265517Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes an endless belt, a photosensitive member, a driving member, a recovering member, and a cleaning member. The endless belt has a surface extending in a first direction. The photosensitive member opposes the surface to provide the surface with toner. The driving member drives the belt so that the surface moves in the first direction during an image-forming period and moves in the opposite direction during a recovering period after the image-forming period. The recovering member recovers, during the image-formation period, residual toner remaining on the photosensitive member after the toner has been provided on the surface, and provides, during the recovering period, the recovered residual toner on the photosensitive member to be provided on the surface. The cleaning member opposes the surface upstream of the photosensitive member in the first direction to clean, during the recovering period, the recovered residual toner provided on the surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2009Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kensuke Miyahara, Shougo Sato, Susumu Sakuma
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Publication number: 20120224880Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image carrier that is rotatable and carries a latent image on an outer peripheral surface thereof; a transfer unit that transfers a developer image obtained by developing the latent image with developer onto a transfer medium; a cleaning unit that is disposed downstream of the transfer unit in a rotational direction of the latent-image carrier and removes the developer from the latent-image carrier after the developer image is transferred; a light source that is disposed between the transfer unit and the cleaning unit and emits light for removing electric charge from the latent-image carrier; and a guiding member that is disposed below the cleaning unit and above a transport path of the transfer medium, receives the developer that falls from the cleaning unit at an upper surface thereof, and guides the light to the latent-image carrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2011Publication date: September 6, 2012Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Naoki SATO, Kuniaki TANAKA
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Publication number: 20120207508Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image carrier drum on which a latent image is formed; a development unit which includes a development roller coming into contact with the image carrier drum on an upward side of a virtual horizontal plane, which is perpendicular to a virtual vertical plane passing through a rotation center of the image carrier drum, in a vertical direction and developing the latent image formed on the image carrier drum with a liquid developer containing toner and a carrier liquid; a squeeze unit which comes into contact with the image developed by the development roller on the upward side of the virtual horizontal plane in the vertical direction and includes a squeeze roller squeezing the image; and a transfer unit which transfers the image squeezed by the squeeze roller to a transfer member on a downward side of the virtual horizontal plane in the vertical direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro NISHIYAMA, Kazuma MIYAZAWA, Yoshitomo HIRATA, Tsutomu SASAKI, Naoyuki OKUMURA, Yuichiro TSUKADA
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Patent number: 8238780Abstract: The invention provides a wiping assembly in an image forming device, to clean at least one sensor lens in the image forming device. The wiping assembly includes a bracket to move between a first position and a second position across the sensor lens. Further, the wiping assembly includes a wiper to clean the sensor lens. The wiper is located between the bracket and a sensor housing, which supports the sensor lens. The wiping assembly includes a spring to actuate the movement of the bracket between the first position and the second position. The movement of the bracket is actuated by the movement of a print media tray and/or the movement of a toner cartridge.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2008Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Gregory Alan Cavill, Benjamin Keith Newman, Joshua Carl Poterjoy
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Publication number: 20120195623Abstract: A fixing device that fixes a toner image on a recording medium while the recoding medium is conveyed by passing through a nip formed by a heating member and a pressing member includes: a cleaning unit that is provided in at least any one of the heating member and the pressing member for removing toner adhered thereto. The cleaning unit is in contact with a member to be cleaned and a rotating cleaning member is in contact with the member to be cleaned in a downstream side of the cleaning unit in a rotation direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2012Publication date: August 2, 2012Inventor: Jun OKAMOTO
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Publication number: 20120189342Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt, a plurality of processing units, a cleaning unit, a waste toner retainer, and a waste toner conveying unit. The plurality of processing units is juxtaposed above the endless belt. The cleaning unit is disposed above the endless belt to collect a waste toner deposited on the endless belt. The waste toner retainer is provided in one processing unit in the plurality of processing units. At least one of the other processing units in the plurality of processing units is interposed between the cleaning unit and the one processing unit. The waste toner conveying unit conveys the waste toner collected by the cleaning unit to the waste toner retainer, and extends from the cleaning unit to the waste toner retainer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2012Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Susumu SAKUMA
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Patent number: 8199353Abstract: An image forming system includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses and an information processing apparatus connected to a network. Each image forming apparatus includes a remaining-toner sensor for detecting remaining amounts of toner in cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) toner cartridges. The information processing apparatus includes (i) a storage device for storing various types of information obtained from the image forming apparatuses, including apparatus status information such as the remaining amounts of toner, and (ii) a display device for displaying icons representing the remaining amounts of C/M/Y/K toners in a line on a respective apparatus basis, and displaying the icons representing the remaining amounts of C/M/Y/K toners for all of the plurality of image forming apparatuses in lines on a respective color basis so that said lines are perpendicular to said line in which the icons representing the remaining amounts of toner are displayed.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2009Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Naoki Kuwasaki
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Patent number: 8195078Abstract: A processing method of waste toner which is collected from an image forming device generated when an electrophotography image is formed, including: adding citrus oil to the waste toner.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventor: Takeshi Yuyama
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Patent number: 8185011Abstract: A first roll brush is formed from material having the positive triboelectric charge polarity against toner. A positive bias is applied to the first roll brush through a first collection roller by a first bias application device. A second roll brush is formed from material having the negative triboelectric charge polarity against toner. A negative bias is applied to the second roll brush through a second collection roller by a second bias application device. Thus, the first and second roll brushes are applied by each of biases having polarity identical to the triboelectric charge polarity of material of the roll brush against toner. This enhances cleaning performance of both the roll brushes and prevents degradation of the cleaning performance.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2009Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Satoru Shibuya, Hidetoshi Noguchi, Hisashi Murata, Kazuyoshi Hara
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Patent number: 8185002Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes; an image forming unit; an annular belt that moves circularly; a detection unit that detects a state of a surface of the belt; and a tension increase unit that increases a tension of the belt, at a detection position by the detection unit, when detection is performed by the detection unit, as compared with the tension of the belt before detection at the detection position is performed by the detection unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2006Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Osamu Takahashi
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Patent number: 8180245Abstract: This is a toner control system for use in a cleaning station of a xerographic marking apparatus. A sensor is located in the air conduits of the system to measure airflow throughout the system. The sensor is in contact with a controller that is configured to adjust the blower speed to normal conditions (i.e. sea level and clean filter conditions) as the flow rate is reduced due to normal apparatus use. The system has an air blower(s), a filter(s), air conduits, a sensor(s) and a controller(s) in communication with the sensor(s).Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2009Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventors: Ali R Dergham, Francesco Zirilli, Glenn Bennett, Jorge Rodriguez
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Publication number: 20120114370Abstract: A developer collecting device includes a housing provided with an opening opposed to a developer carrying member, a collecting member provided on a support member and capable of coming into contact with and separating from the developer carrying member, a suction path provided between the opening and a suction member for sucking developer removed from the developer carrying member, an opening-closing plate that opens or closes the suction path, an urging member that urges the opening-closing plate, a retaining member that retains the opening-closing plate, and an opening-closing unit including a rotating member and an elastic member whose ends are connected to the rotating member and the support member. The elastic member is pulled so as to rotate the rotating member in association with a movement of the collecting member, thereby rotating the opening-closing plate so as to open or close the suction path.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2011Publication date: May 10, 2012Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Masatoshi YAMADA, Kiyotoshi KANEYAMA, Masaaki TOKUNAGA
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Patent number: 8135302Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a primary transfer unit to transfer toner images of plural colors on image carriers onto an intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer unit to transfer the toner images onto a transfer material; and a pre-secondary transfer discharge unit to discharge charges of the toner images, wherein the discharge unit includes a scorotron having a grid electrode and a discharging electrode; an opposing electrode opposed to the grid electrode through the intermediate transfer member; a first voltage unit to apply a reverse polarity voltage of the toner images to the discharging electrode; a second voltage applying unit to apply a same polarity voltage of the toner images to the grid electrode; a cleaning unit of the grid electrode; a current detecting unit; and a controller to control a timing to clean the grid electrode according to the detected current.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2008Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yotaro Sato, Takenobu Kimura, Hajime Kawakami